Outside hanger assembly for suspended concrete forms



B. HILLBERG May 30, 1961 OUTSIDE HANGER ASSEMBLY FOR SUSPENDED CONCRETE FORMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 4, 1960 INVENTOR. Baa: HILLBERG B. HILLBERG 2,985,937 OUTSIDE HANGER ASSEMBLY FOR SUSPENDED CONCRETE FORMS May 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1960 INVENTOR. Bean HILLBERG BY United States Patent OUTSIDE HANGER ASSEMBLY'FOR SUSPENDEI? CONCRETE FORMS Bror Hillberg, Elmwood Park, .IlL, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Superior Concrete Accesories, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 253 3 Claims. (Cl. 25-1315) The present invention relates .to hanger assemblies for concrete forms, such assemblies being employed for hanging concrete forms from bridge superstructures or the like. The invention is concerned specifically with a novel form of hanger assembly which is designed for use in connection with an outside beam or similar outside supporting member where a sidewalk, a fascia or similar auxiliary concrete structure adjoins the principal concrete roadway, overpass or other concreteinstallation.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide a hanger assembly which, when under load in an actual installation, is devoid of destructive torsional bending and other stresses which, in connection with use of previously-designed conventional hanger assemblies for the same purpose, result in disruptive strain on the concrete-formsupporting, suspension bolts that are associated with such assemblies.

The invention is specifically concerned with a hanger assembly of the type which .is shownand described in my co -pending patent application Serial No. 252, filed on January 4, 1960, and entitled, Hanger Assembly for Suspended Concrete Forms, the present hanger .assembly constituting a special embodiment or adaptation of the assembly of such patent application .in that it is designed especially for use in supporting an outsideconcreteform in position on a superstructure either independently of, or in conjunction with, hanger assemblies like those of said application, such last mentioned assemblies being designed for the inside support of the principalroadway or other concrete forms,

Outside hanger assemblies for supporting outside con Crete, forms .ina superstructure are.- fairly well standardizedrin the building industry. a Two widely used types of hanger assemblies which are currently being used are known as. coi-l hanger frames and plate hanger frames, respectively. Such two types of conventionalorpreviously-designed hanger assemblies comprise horizontally elongated frame-like structures which are made .up of lengths of steel rod stock and have welded to their ends suspension devices through which the suspension bolts for the concrete forms are adapted to. extend. In the case of coil hanger frames, the suspension devices are in the form of wire, coils which receive therein the contour threads on the shanks of the suspension ,bolts. VIIH- the case ofplate hanger frames, the suspension devieesare in the form offl'at plates which. have shank-receiving holes therethrough and are adapted to undefli'eand support nuts on the upper ends of the suspension bolts. Both coil hanger frames and plate [hanger frames are employed in the-same type of environment, the frames being supported at their end regions onstructural members which usually are the top horizontal flanges of horizontal I-beams. When operatively positioned on the top flangetof an I-beam, thecoils or theplates of either type of conventional hanger assembly, BSLflJfi case may be, are adapted to overhang the opposite ,sid-e..edges of. the top flange so that in the caseof. inside-support,

the coil or plate and the load (concrete-filled form) 2 applied to the head of the bolt and so that in the case of an outside support, an anchoring bolt maybe similarly applied and its head anchored or connected to a suitable beam, strut or other reaction member which assimilates the inward pull under the influence of the weight of the concrete while the latter is being poured.

Coil and plate hanger frames of this general character are possessed of the serious limitation that they are subject to disruptive deformation as the concrete is being poured into the suspended forms. In the case of outside hanger frames, i.e., hanger frames or assemblies which are used to support outside concrete forms, due to the extremely great weight of the poured concrete, extremely high tensional stresses are applied to the suspension and anchoring bolts while at the same time there is a tendency for the outermost or outside coil or plate to creep outwardly on the top rfl-ange of the I-beam and, in so creeping, apply torsional and bending stresses to the anchoring bolt, thus weakening the same.

According to the present invention, the above-noted limitation that is attendant upon the construction and use of outside coil and plate hanger frames is obviated in that the invention contemplates the provision of a novel form of hanger assembly having associated therewith ;a. suspension-boltmay have; its upperend supported, from 1 means for preventing outward creeping or shifting of the outside end region of the assembly on the top flange of the I-beam or other structural member of the superstructure.

The provision of a hanger assembly of the character briefly outlined above being among the principal objects of the invention, a further object is to provide an improved hanger assembly having associated therewith a ,novel form of strut assembly which is adapted to be supported upon the top flange of the I-beam top flange or other structural member and embodies an improved connector device by means of which the anchoring bolt may be operatively connected to an end of the tie rod of the strut assembly, the connector device also serving as a suspension support for the extreme outside portions of the adjacent concrete form and functioning at the same time to prevent relative creeping movement in one direction between the top flange and the connector device.

It is another object of the invention to provide an outside hanger assembly of this type which, exclusive of the suspension and anchoring bolts thereof, is comprised of but three patrs, namely, a single tie rod and a pair of cage-like connector and supporting devices at the ends of the tie rod, such an assembly resulting in economy of manufacture in that the amount of rod stock is re.- duced to an absolute minimum, and in that the connector devices themselves may be formed as sheet metal stampings.

A further object of the invntion is to provide such a hanger assembly ,having reinforced parts which, despite thefactthatthe p rts are only three in number, will provide adequate support for, and withstand loads well in excessv of, those'normall-y encountered in the-field.

Numerous other objects and advantages of thednvention, not-at this-time enumerated-will become'apparent from a consideration of thefollowing, detailed'descrip- "t on.

In the accompanying two sheets ofzdriawings, forming I Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the improved assembly; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the hanger assembly which is shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to Fig. l, a hanger assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention has been designated in its entirety at 10, and it is shown as being operative- 1y applied in a concrete form installation wherein the concrete form is hung from the top flange 12 of a substantially horizontal, metallic l-beam 14 forming a part of a bridge superstructure or other similar installation. The I-beam embodies in addition to the top flange a vertical web portion 16 and a horizontal bottom flange 18.

The I-beam may be supported in any suitable manner at its ends, or elsewhere in the superstructure. In the illustration of Fig. 1, the I-beam 14 is an outside I-beam, which is to say that it constitutes the outermost longitudinally extending support of the superstructure. From this support there is adapted to be suspended an inside concrete form assembly including a raised deck part 20 which forms the base for a concrete sidewalk 22, the upper surface of which is disposed above the level of the upper surface of the main concrete roadway 24. The raised deck part 20 is supported on an assembly of suspended structural members including an upper transverse member 26 which rests on spacer members 28. The members 28, in turn, rest upon a lower transverse member 30 which is supported on longitudinal members 32. The members 32 are supported in a manner that will be set forth presently by a suspension bolt and nut assembly 34 in associated relation with the hanger assembly 10. Also from the I-beam 14 there is adapted to be suspended an outside concrete form assembly including a vertical side plate 40, the edge of which is supported on an outside horizontally disposed member 42 which is secured medially of its ends to the upper end of an inwardly and downwardly inclined member 43. The lower end of said member 43 is secured to a vertical member 44 which extends between the top flange 12 and the bottom flange 18 of the I-beam 14. A strut 46 extends between the side plate and the outer end region of the member 42. An elongated anchoring bolt and nut assembly 48 passes through the inclined member 43 and through a longitudinal member 50 and serves to assimilate certain reaction forces which are applied to the hanger assembly 10 of the present invention, all in a manner that will be made clear presently. The top flange 12 of the I-beam 14 is employed as a support for both inside and outside concrete form assemblies described above and the support for these assemblies is afforded by the hanger assembly 10 which will now be described in detail.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the hanger assembly 10 involves in its general organization a strut assembly 52 of elongated design and consisting of horizontally a single metallic (steel) tie rod 53, a cage-like suspension device 54 at one end of the tie rod, and a second cagelike connector and supporting device 56 at the other end of said tie rod. The strut assembly 52 is adapted to be positioned on the upper supporting surface 58 of the top flange 12 of the I-beam 14 so that it extends transversely thereof and the suspension device 54 rests on the inner side margin of the top flange of the beam and has a limited portion thereof overhanging the inner side edge of the top flange.

The suspension device 54 per se forms no part of the present invention and it constitutes a portion of the subject matter of my aforementioned co-pending application. For a full description and an understanding of such suspension device, reference may be had to that patent application. The suspension device 54, however, constitutes a part of the strut assembly 52 and it cooperates with the connector and supporting device 56 in a novel manner which will become apparent from the following description of the device 54. Briefly, the suspension device 54 is in the form of a length or strip of flat plate metal stock bent to provide a curved intermediate bight portion 60 and a pair of generally parallel side por tions 6'2 and 64, respectively. The side portions 62 and 64 are provided with vertical reinforcing ribs 66, certain of which are disposed interiorly and are welded as at 68 to the opposite sides of the adjacent end region of the tie rod 53. The upper edge 70 of the U-shaped suspension device 54 lies in a horizontal plane when the hanger assembly 10 is in use and under load and certain portions of the lower edge thereof are formed with teeth 71. The teeth are arranged in two rows or series, one on the lower edge of each side portion 62 and 64. The teeth 71 are of saw-tooth design and they have vertical inwardly facing edges 72 and inclined outwardly facing edges 74. These teeth are not cutting teeth. They are merely friction teeth and they function, when supported on the upper surface 58 of the top flange 12 of the I-beam 14, to prevent inward creeping movement of the suspension device 54 with respect to said top flange. The intermediate bight portion 60 of the loop suspension device 54, in combination with the extreme adjacent end of the rod 53, provides, in effect, a vertical bore or opening 76 through which the nut and bolt assembly 34 passes with the nut of said assembly resting upon the upper edge of the bight portion 60 and the shank of the bolt of the assembly 34 extending through the opening 76 and passing through the members 30 and 32. The head portion of the bolt of the assembly 34 serves to support one entire end of the concrete form which is associated with the raised deck plate 20.

The combined connector and supporting device 56 is similar in many respects to the suspension device 54 and it likewise is in the form of a length or strip of plate metal stock which is medially and transversely bent, as best seen in Fig. 2, to provide an intermediate curved bight portion 80 and a pair of generally parallel side portions 82 and 84, respectively. The side portions 82 and 84 are formed with instruck ribs 86 which are welded as at 88 to the opposite sides of the adjacent end of the tie rod 53. The side portions 82 and 84 are also formed with outstruck ribs 90 which lend rigidity to the device The device 56 is preferably formed by a combined stamping and punching operation and so that the bight portion 80 has a pair of relief openings 92 therethrough. Such bight portion and the adjacent extremity of the tie rod 53 define a bolt-shank-receiving opening like the opening 76. As best seen in Fig. 3, the two side portions 82 and 84 of the device 56 are generally of rectangular design. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, the device 56 is positioned so that the side portions 82 and 84 extend upwardly and outwardly at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the tie rod 53. As a result of such position of the device 56, the aforementioned bolt-shankreceiving opening between the bight portion 60 and the adjacent end extremity of the tie rod 53, is inclined downwards and outwards at approximately a 45 angle with respect to the horizontal. The lower corner of each side portion of the device 56 is truncated or cut off so as to provide a linear edge of appreciable extent. Each of the two linear edges is formed with a series of horizontal friction teeth 94. Such teeth 94 are of saw-tooth design and each tooth has a vertical edge 96 and an inclined edge 98. The vertical edges 96 face outwardly away from the center of the strut assembly 52 and as a result they face the same direction as the vertical edges 72 of the teeth 71. Unlike the teeth 71 on the suspension device 54,

none of the teeth 94 overhangs the adjacent side edge of the top flange 12 and consequently all of the teeth 94 are adapted to engage and bite into the metal of the flange when the concrete load is applied to the bolt and nut assembly 48. Because of the biting-in action of the ass-5,937

teeth 94 (see Fig. 4) outward shifting of the connector device 56 on the I'-beam is positively prevented.

Referring again to Fig. 1, the length of the tie rod 53 and the design of the cage-like connector and supporting device '56 are such that all of the teeth 94 engage the upper face 58 of the I-beam flange 12 in the marginal regions of the latter and rest squarely on this supporting surface. As shown in the drawings, the nut and bolt assembly 48 includes an elongated anchoring bolt 100. The latter has at its lower end a head portion 10'2 which underlies the inclined member 50 and, in combination with a washer 103, serves to effect a clamping action on this member. The upper threaded end of the shank of the bolt 100 has a nut 104 which, when tightened, seats flush or flatly on the upper edge of the bight portion 82 of the device 56.

It is to be noted that during concrete pouring operations as the mass of concrete is progressively applied to the various concrete forms, the relatively great weight of the concrete places a heavy load upon the suspension bolt and nut assembly 48 and the nut is drawn downwardly on the bight portion of the cage-like connector and supporting device 56 so that there is a tendency for the lower edges of this device to shift laterally outwardly on the I-beam flange 12. However, because of the nature of the teeth 94, the latter are caused to dig in, so to speak, and displace the metal of the flange 12 and resist such outwardly shifting of the device 56. On the other side of the I-beam flange 12, the weight of the poured concrete imposes forces which tend to cause the suspension device 54 to creep inwardly toward the center of the tie rod 53 and this tendency is resisted by the specific saw-tooth shape and orientation of the teeth 71.

As shown in the drawings, the suspension device 54 and the supporting device 56 are of materially greater maximum height than maximum width, the end of the tie rod 53 to which the suspension device 54 is connected is welded to the side portions of said suspension device in close proximity to the upper edges of said side portions, and the end of the tie rod 53 to which the supporting device 66 is connected is welded to the side portions of said device 5 6 at a location or region a substantial distance above the teeth-equipped, horizontal, linear bottom edges of the side portions 82 and 84 of the device 56. As the result of this, when the strut assembly is in use, the portion of the tie rod 53 between the devices 54 and se is placed under such tension by way of the load on the form-supporting bolt and nut assemblies 34 and 48 that it is not subject to any appreciable upward bending or distortion. By reason of the fact that the portion of the tie rod between the devices 54 and 56 is under tension when the strut assembly is in use, and consequently, is not subject to upward bending or distortion as the result of the load on the nut and bolt assemblies 34 and 48, the devices 54 and 56 as a whole cannot tilt outwards and downwards to such an extent as to cause bending and resultant fracture or weakening of the upper ends of the shanks of the bolts.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement and design of the hanger assembly parts which are shown in the accompanying drawings and described in this specification inasmuch as various changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention. Only insofar as the invention has been particularly pointed out in the accompanying claims is the same to be limited.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A three-part strut assembly adapted to rest on and extend transversely across the top flange of a substantially horizontal I-beam of a bridge superstructure or like structure and to support directly outwards of the inner side of the I-beam a substantially vertically extending formsupporting bolt and directly outwards of the outer side of the I-beam a downwardly and outwardly inclined form-supporting bolt with a nut at the upper end of its shank, said strut assembly comprising a single elongated horizontal tie rod of strong rigid metal, a suspension device connected to one end portion of the tie rod, adapted to rest on and partially to overhang the inner side margin of the top flange of the I-beam, and provided on its overhanging portion with means forming a substantially vertically extending opening for receiving the upper end of the shank of the first mentioned bolt, and a supporting device located at the other end portion of the tie rod, adapted to rest on the outer side margin of the top flange of the I-beam, and formed of a strip of stamped strong rigid metal of appreciable width and bent medially and transversely of its ends to provide a curved intermediate bight portion and a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel and rectangular side portions, said supporting device being arranged so that the side portions thereof are in straddled relation with said other end portion of the tie rod and extend upwardly and outwardly at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the tie rod and so that the intermediate bight portion is located upwards, outwards and downwards of said other end portion of the tie rod and is inclined downwards and outwards, said other end portion of the tie rod being disposed between the upper free corner regions of said side portions of the supporting device and having its opposed side regions welded to the adjacent portions of said free upper corner regions of said side portions and its end extremity in spaced relation with the bight portion of the supporting device, said bight portion defining with said end extremity of said other end portion of the tie rod an elongated downwardly and outwardly inclined opening for receiving the shank of the second mentioned bolt, the upper edge of said bight portion being flat and adapted directly to underlie the nut on the upper end of the shank of said second mentioned bolt, the lower free corner regions of said side portions of said supporting device being truncated or cut ofi? to provide a pair of elongated, parallel, horizontally extending, supporting edges that are adapted to rest on the outer side margin of the top flange of the I-beam, each of said parallel, horizontally extending, supporting edges being provided with a series of teeth adapted, when the strut assembly is in use and the forms which are supported by the bolts are loaded, to bite into the metal of said outer side margin of the top flange of the I-beam and prevent outward shifting of said supporting device, said suspension and supporting devices being of materially greater maximum height than maximum width and the end portions of the tie rod being connected to said devices at a substantial distance above the bottom, flange-engaging edges of said devices in order that when the strut assembly is in use the tie rod is disposed a substantial distance above the upper flange of the I-beam with the result that the load on the bolts places the portion of the tie rod between said suspension and supporting devices under appreciable tension thereby pre venting it from being subject to any appreciable upward bending and resultant outward and downward tilting of said devices as a whole.

2. A strut assembly according to claim 1 and wherein p the strut assembly is of such length that when it is in its operative position on the top flange of the I-beam the are of saw-tooth design, and embody vertical outward- 1y facing edges and inclined inwardly facing edges.

3. A three-part strut assembly according to claim 2 and wherein the suspensiondevice at the one end portion of the tie rod is in the form of a U-shaped structure of stamped strong rigid metal, consists of a curved inter-' mediate, vertically extending bight portion and a pair of vertically extending, parallel, spaced apart side portions, and has certain regions of the lower edges of its side portions adapted directly to engage the inner side margin of the top flange of the I-bearn and provided with series of teeth which are of saw-tooth design and embody vertical inwardly facing edges and inclined outwardly facing edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 459,513 Montz Sept. 15, 1891 8 1,651,787 Venable Dec. 6, 1927. 1,851,353 Dickman Mar. 29, 1932 2,215,972 Mueller et al Sept. 2A, 1940' FOREIGN PATENTS 358,708 Great Britain Oct. 15, 1931 OTHER REFERENCES Construction Methods and Equipment Article, page 10 30, Feb. 1958, by the Richmond Screw Anchor C0.

Superior Concrete Accessories Catalog No. 600,

page 37. 

